Inside fishing tool



May 14, 1929. E. H. NEwKlRK INSIDE FISHING TOOLv Filed NOV. 5, 1927 gmacEff/@Wl I'W Patented May 14?, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

INSIDE FISHING TGL.

Application filed November 5, 1927. Serial No. 231,315.

This invention relates to fishing tools for use in deep wells and moreparticularly to an inside fishing tool or tool for interiorly graspinghollow fish, such as pipes, drill stems or the likeJ which have boresinto which the fishing tool may extend.

An important object oit the invention is to provide a device ot thischaracter in which the gripping elements are positively locked againstengagement with the lish until an operation controllable from the upperend ot the well bore has been carried out.

A further and more specic object of the invention is to provide a tool,the jaws of f which are locked as above stated and which are releasedupon application or' iiuid pressure to the tool to permit their positiveexpension into engagement with the walls of thelish.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter whereby the jaws may be readily released in event it is :foundafter gripping the lish. that the same cannot be moved.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration shown apreferred embodiment et my inventien and wherein Figure 1 is anelevation partially in section sho wing a fishing tool constructed inaccordance with .my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of one of the jaws removed; j

Figure 3 is a j ierspective view oil the plunger removed;

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation el. the lishing tool at right anglesto the view in Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 generallydesignates a barrel having a closed and tapered .lower end, indicated at11, which lower end forms a guide leading the barrel into a lis-h to beengaged. This barrel basa bore 11 and has in its side walls jaw openings12 which are oppositely arranged and have reduced extenn tions 13. laiYs 141 are provided having arcu-4 ately curved outer faces provided withupelement.

wardly facing teeth and having at their upper ends extensions 15entering the extensions 13 ol' the openings 12 and pivotally connectedto the barrel by pivot pins 1G. Each jaw has at its lower end anextension 17 confronting the inner wall ot the barrel and curved to fitthereagainst upon its outer lace. Between the wall olf the barrel andthe c);- tension 17, compression springs `18 are arranged, whichconstantly urge the lower ends of the jaws inwardly, so that the jawsnormally occupy a position wherein their toothed outer faces arearranged within the diameter of the barrel 10 and are protected therebyagainst abrasive engagement which would tend to dull the teeth andinjure the engaged r1`he lower end faces ot the extern sion 17 providedownwardly 'li'acing shoulders 19, thepurpose of which. will presentlyappear. i

'll he upper end of the barrel has oppositely disposed upwardlyextending wings 20. A plunger 21 provided which is adapted at its upperend tor engagement with a fishing string 22 and has a bore 23 forcoaction with the bore 9.1i of the lishing string. rlhe upper end olfthe plunger has lugs 25 between which the 'wings 2() may extend topermit olf a limited vertical movement of the plunger and bodywithoutrelative rotation ther-coi.

lhe side laces oit the plunger are 'formed with recesses 26 :tor thereception oit the blades 141-. At their upper ends, the inner walls 2ToLt these recesses are parallel to one another but adjacent their lowerei,uls,they are provided with 'upwardly facing shoulders 2li and beneaththese shoulders, these inner walls di verge downwardly, as iiulicated at29. The terminal of the recess terms, at the lower ends of thesediverging surfaces which couibine to produce a wedge, a second set otupwardly facing shoulders 80. 'lhe lower cud oli' the plunger has aspring socket 31 withii'l which is arranged a spring 32 ttor engage--ment with the bottom of the barrel bore 11. The bore oi the plunger Q1has branch outlets 33 opening through the inner walls et the recesses 26at the parallel portions thereof. In the use of the tool, the plunger isfirst grasp the same.

inserted in the body and the jaws 14 then placed in position andanchored by their pivots. The springs l1255 at this time will force thejaws inwardly, causing their inner 'faces to closely engage against theparallel this pressure will force the jaws outwardly against the actionof the springs 18, thereby releasing the shoulders 19 of the tool fromthe shoulders 28 of the plunger which, until this time, they haveengaged. This releases the barrel for downward movement previouslyprevented by the engagement of these shoulders and this barrel will movedownwardly both by gravity and under the influence of the spring 32until the jaws 33 engage the inner wall of the fish. At this time, thejaws will be sufficiently spread to enable the downwardlydiverging faces29 of the plunger to be passed between the extensions 17, with theresult that by applyingstrain to the string 22, these faces will act towedge the jaws firmly into engagement with the fish to enable the sameto be withdrawn from the well. If, after a test, it is found that the`fish is too Yfirmly anchored to enable its removal, the tool may bereleased therefrom by cutting off the pumping pressure and forcing thestring downwardly. This will per mit the aws'14 to recede under theinfluence of the spring 1,8 and when the lower end 11 of the barrelcomes into engagement with an. obstruction, the plunger will movedownwardly with relation to the barrel until the shoulders 28 are againarranged below the shoulders 19 of the blades. If then the string beelevated, these shoulders will come into engagement and the blades willbe held in their retracted position, permitting the Vwithdrawal of thetool.

In some cases, it may be necessary to employ the fishing tool wherefluid pressure is unavailable to cause an operation thereof. Under thesecircumstances. the noses 17 of the slips 14 are disengaged from theshoulders 28 before the tool-is lowered into the well. The spring 22 isof sufficient length and strength to overcome friction and fluid metwith in the well, which. would tend to raisethe outer body or barrel toa point where the slip noses 17 could re-engage with the shoulders 28.The springs 18 the slips will, of course, tend to hold the slipsinwardly, so that they will not engage the walls of the casing. Thefriction set up by these springs between the inclined faces 29 and thenoses of the slips will serve to support the shell 11 against downwardmovement,

such as would cause an operative projection of the blades. 'lhis isparticularly true while the tool is moving downwardly and the frictionalengagement of the shell with the walls has a tendency to move this shellupwardly. rl`he slips are thus held within the confines of the tool orat least from operative projection therefrom. so that they will not beso positioned as to prevent entry ot the tool in the fish. Vhen, howe"er, the plunger is moved upwardly, which operation will occur when theproper point in the well is reached. the friction of the outer case uponthe walls of the fish will permit the necessary relative movement of theplunger and barrel to cause these slips to expand into engagement withthe walls of the fish, so that a grip may be taken thereon. In thisoperation as in that originally described, the release is effected bymoving the tool down v'ardly until the barrel encounters an obstruction.'lhe lower ends of the slips preferably have a slight' bevel at theirinner faces which is shaped to properly fit against the taper of thcplunger to provide a solid engagement between the slips and plunger.

Since the construction hereinhefore set forth is capable of a certainrange of change and modification without materially departing from thespirit of thc invention. l do not limit myself to such specificstructure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In an inside fishing tool, a barrel, a plunger verticallyshiftable within the barrel, the barrel. having openings in its sidewalls, aws pivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through theopenings to grip a fish, means urging said jaws inwardly, downwardlydiverging faces on the plunger adapted to coact with the jaws to -lorcethe jaws outwardly as the plunger is moved upwardly within the barrel,coacting means upon the jaws and plunger preventing upward movement ofthe plunger' within the barrel and means operable from the upper end ofa string to which the plunger is connected for forcing the jawsoutwardly to thereby disengage said means and permit the plunger to bemoved upwardly.

2. In an inside fishing tool. a barrel. a plunger vertically shiftablewithin the barrel. the barrel having openings in its side walls, jawspivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through the openings to gripa fish, means urging said jaws inwardly, downwardly divergingfaces onthe plunger adapted to coact with the jaws to force the jaws outwardlyas the plunger is moved upwardly within the barrel. coacting means uponthe jaws and plunger preventing upward movement of the plunger withinthe barrel and mains operable from the upper end of a stringl to whichthe plunger is connected for forcing the jaws outwardly to therebydisengage said means and permit the plunger tohe moved upwardly, thejaws and plunger having coacting means positively limiting the upwardmovement of the plunger'.

3. In an inside lishing tool, a barrel, a plunger lvertically shiftahlewithin the loarrel, the barrel having openings in its side walls, jawspivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through the openings to gripa ish,

means urging said jaws inwardly, down-l wardly diverging laces on theplunger adapted to coact with the jaws to force the jaws outwardly asthe plunger is moved upwardly within the loarrel, coacting means uponthe jaws and plunger preventing upward movement ot the plunger withinthe harrel, means operable from the upper end of a string to which theplunger is connected for 'forcing the jaws outwardly to th erehydisengage said means and permit the plunger to loe moved upwardly, and aspring engaging the plunger and barrel urging the 1Darrel downwardlyupon the plunger when said coacting means are released el. In an insidelishing tool, a barrel, a. plunger vertically shiiitahle within thebarrel, the barrel having openings in its side walls, jaws pivoted tothe barrel and adapted to extend through the openings to grip a iish,means urging said jaws inwardly, downwardly diverging laces on theplunger adapted to coact with the aws to torce the jaws outwardly as theplunger is moved upwardly within the barrel, coacting means upon thejaws and plunger preventing upward movement of the plunger within thebarrel, said plunger having a bore, the lower end oi the herecommunicating with ports opening through opposite sides oi the plunger,said jaws having engagement with the plunger when said coacting meansare engaged sealing said ports wherehy upon the introduction ot `fluidpressure to the bore the blades are forced outwardly to release saidplunger.

5. ln an inside fishing tool, a barrel, a plunger vertically shittahlewithin the barrel, the loarrel having an opening in'its side wall, a jawpivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through the opening to gripa lish, the plunger and jaw having coacting means wl'iereloy, when. theplunger is moved upwardly within the barrel, the jaw is torced outlwardly tor engagement with the fish and coacting means upon the jaw andreleasalole plunger 'for locking the plunger against vertical movementin the barrel.

6. In an inside lishing tool, a barrel, a plunger' vertically shiitablewithin the harrel, the barrel having an opening in its side wall, a j awpivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through the opening to gripa lish, the plunger and jaw having coacting means whereby, when theplunger is moved upwardly within the barrel, the jaw is forced outwardlyfor engagement with the lish and coacting meansupon the jaw and plungerreleasahle upon a. predetermined operation lor locking the plungeragainst vertical movement in the barrel, the jaw and plunger havingcoacting means positively limiting the upward movement of the plunger.

7. In an inside fishing tool, a barrel, a plunger vertically shiitahlewithin the barrel, the barrel having openings in its side walls, jawspivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through the openings to gripa fish, means urging said jaws inwardly, downwardly diverging faces onthe plunger adapted to coact with the jaws to torce the jaws outwardlyas the plunger is moved upwardly within the barrel, coacting means uponthe jaws and plunger preventing upward movement ot the plunger withinthe barrel, means operable from the upper end oit a string to which theplunger is connected or forcing the jaws outwardly to thereby disengagesaid means and permit they plunger to be moved upwardly, and a springurging the barrel downwardly upon the plunger when the last namedcoacting means are released.

8. In an inside fishing tool, a barrel, a plunger vertically shiitablewithin the harrel, the barrel having` openings in its side walls, jawspivoted to the barrel and adapted to extend through the openings to gripa iish, means urging said jaws inwardly, down?- wardly diverging faceson the plunger adapted to coact with the jaws to torce the jawsoutwardly as the plunger is moved upwardly within the barrel, coactingmeans upon the jaws and plunger preventing upward movement of theplunger within the barrel, and means tor directing lluid pressureintroduced through the plunger against the jaws to force them outwardlyand thereby release said coacting means.

9. In an inside Fishing tool, a barrel, a plunger vertically shittahlewithin the harrel, the barrel having openings in its side walls, jawspivoted to the harrel and adapted to entend through the openings to gripa iish, means urging said jaws inwardly, downwardly diverging faces onthe plunger adapted to coact with the jaws to force the jaws outwardlyas the plunger is moved upwardly within the barrel, coacting means uponthe jaws and plunger preventing upward movement oit the plui'lgcr withinthe barrel, when the plunger has heen moved downwardly a predetermineddistance in the barrel, a spring connecting the barrel and plunger andnormally maintaining the barrel in elevated position within the plungerpreventing engagement oli said means and springs lorcing the jawsinwardly.

l0. In an inside iishing tool, a barrel, a plunger vertically shi'itahlewithin the harrel, the loarrel having an opening in its side plunger forloekng the plunger against vertical movement in the barrel, :md a springnornmlhY preventing engagement o1 sind eo- 1U noting means :x'i't'erdisengagement thereof.

In testnnony whereolL .I hereunto affix my signature.

EDGAR H. NEW/'KIRK

